The £1m trial deciding how Cornwall helps young people into work

Two young people walk into the same appointment this month, both stuck without a job, a course or any training to their name. By the end of the meeting, which pathway of support they get is decided not by a caseworker’s judgement but by a random draw. It sounds like an odd way to run a programme. It is also, researchers say, one of the only ways to find out what genuinely works.

A £1m trial across Cornwall

A new £1m trial launches this week, run through Cornwall Council’s Youth Engagement Project (YEP) team, aiming to support around 1,000 young people across Cornwall’s communities. The money comes from Youth Futures Foundation, a national not-for-profit working to make sure marginalised young people can thrive.

It is known as a Randomised Control Trial, a method more familiar from medicine than youth services, and it will run from September 2026 until September 2027.

Cllr Hilary Frank, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families at Cornwall Council, said the funding was a significant opportunity.

“This funding gives us an important opportunity to help support more young people who are looking for education, employment or training,” she said. “Our Youth Engagement Project has already made a huge difference to many young people who have been given the right support to build confidence, develop new skills and take their next step.

“This trial will help us understand which approaches have the greatest impact. Then we can build on what works, strengthen the support we provide and help even more young people across Cornwall succeed.”

Who it’s for, and how the split works

The trial is open to young people aged 16 to 24 who are currently not in education, employment or training, often referred to as NEET. Everyone who joins attends an initial meeting to identify the support they need and have the programme explained to them. From there, they are randomly placed into one of two pathways.

Pathway One: confidence first, then a taste of the job

Support runs for up to six months. The first 12 weeks focus on confidence, motivation and life skills, delivered through one-to-one sessions and small group activities, with a weekly check-in from a keyworker.

The second 12 weeks move into Pre-Employment Vocational Training. Young people choose from five sectors, leisure, hospitality, construction, digital and horticultural, gaining hands-on experience, building workplace skills and learning more about the career paths each one opens up.

Pathway Two: lighter touch, employability focused

This route also runs for up to six months, but with a different rhythm. Young people meet their keyworker every two weeks and receive one-to-one employability and life skills support, covering things like CV writing, travel training and confidence building. Functional skills sessions delivered in small groups are also on offer.

📷Harry, who is taking part in the YEP Randomised Control Trial.

Why leave it to chance

Randomising who gets which pathway is the whole point. It means that when the results come in, the difference in outcomes between the two groups can be put down to the support itself rather than to which young people happened to sign up for which option.

At the end of the trial, independent research organisation Cordis Bright will carry out the evaluation. A spokesperson for the organisation said:

“We’re excited to be partnering on the evaluation of YEP with Cornwall Council, Youth Futures Foundation, and young peer researchers from Cornwall. This is a valuable and timely opportunity to build the evidence base for ‘what works’ to strengthen young people’s employment outcomes, at a time when this is at the forefront of the national conversation.”